Thursday, November 16, 2000
UK hearing too many whistles
Refs start cracking down on physical play
By Jerry Tipton
Knight Ridder Newspapers
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky fans know their team has lost two games to start a season for the first time in a quarter century.
What UK fans may not know is thatby committing 49 fouls in its first two games, UK is positioned to challenge the school record for frequency of fouls (24.7 a game in 1974-75).
Granted, two games do not a season make. But have the gentlemanly Cats turned slap-happy?
“It seems the refs are getting worse,” Keith Bogans said after UK was whistled for 28 fouls Friday in the loss to UCLA.
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NO ROUGH STUFF
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Five areas referees are supposed to be watching to reduce rough play this season:
1. Low post without the ball — When offensive and defensive players jockey for position.
2. Low post with the ball — When the offensive player makes his move and the defender reacts.
3. Hand-checking — Defensive players putting their hands on the offensive player anywhere on the court.
4. Cutter off the ball — When defenders off the ball try to impede offensive players cutting through the lane.
5. Illegal screens — When offensive players illegally move in setting screens.
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That, of course, was a subjective view.
But the referees have been stricter in calling fouls this season.
“I think the only way to clean up inside play is to call fouls,” said Kansas coach Roy Williams, who is also the chairman of the college game's Rules Committee. “I think it's gotten to the point where the weight room's more important than basketball skills.”
UK coach Tubby Smith welcomed the tighter whistle, but several UK players wondered about the benefit in the referees calling more fouls.
John Guthrie, the supervisor of officials for the Southeastern Conference, said players must change their ways. “If teams don't adjust, there will be a helluva lot of fouls,” he said. “We do want a tighter whistle. But we don't want a game where we're calling all ticky-tack fouls.”
Williams, noting declining television ratings, saw a process in which the game becomes faster with more finesse and scoring.
But Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett, whose Badgers played Michigan State to a halftime score of 19-17 in the Final Four, said varying styles — some more “physical” than others — are good for college basketball.
St.John's coach Mike Jarvis questioned whether or not officials would keep calling games this closely all season.
But referees have been told they risk losing assignments in the NCAA Tournament if they do not look to reduce rough play, Guthrie said.
The season's opening game finished Kansas 99, UCLA 98.
“Tell me you didn't like this game better than 19-17 at the half,” Williams told reporters. “I'm not a nuclear physicist, but I know what I like.”
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